Ram Nath's Obituary
Ram Nath Chumber was born in Suva, Fiji Islands, to Karma Ram and Bissi Chumber. Ram’s parents courageously left Punjab, India in the late 1940’s to forge a more promising future for their descendants. As an adolescent growing up in Fiji, Ram was known as an outgoing and mischievous young man. He was given the nickname “Tui” which means ‘Tribal Chief’ in Fijian. Ram would jokingly talk about how he would sneak into the bars of Fiji. One particular time, he was smoking a cigarette, and when his Father unexpectedly came to the same bar, he stealthily tried to toss the still lit cigarette over his shoulder. Unfortunately the cigarette landed inside the back of his shirt and burned him. Ram would eventually be married to Bimla Wati Sidhu at the tender age of 18 years old, and together soon thereafter they were blessed to be able to immigrate to the USA after being sponsored by Hardev and Vidya Sidhu, Bimla’s adoring brother and bhabi. The jury was still out as to the type of man that Ram would become. Upon arriving in the US, Ram was often overlooked and underestimated. This narrative fueled his desire to succeed and provide for his family. It also manifested a desire to lead, inspire, and support other newcomers to the US from abroad . Leveraging skills learned on the family farm in Fiji, Ram quickly rose through the ranks at several golf courses in the SF Bay Area, culminating in a leadership role in the construction of a new executive golf course in Hayward, CA. Simultaneously Ram cultivated a thriving landscaping business. After becoming a US citizen, Ram quickly sponsored 10 of his 11 siblings. Beyond the formality of sponsorship, Ram and Bimla invested blood, sweat, and tears in the success and wellbeing of his extended family, ensuring not only that they successfully adapted to living in the United States but thrived here. With the added responsibilities, Ram sought strategies to improve and earn higher wages. This included pursuing higher education, via community college coursework including hazardous chemical training and turf management
Ram and Bimla’s road to a secure and stable future in the US was not without adversity. In 1969, Bimla and Ram welcomed their first child, Robbie, who was born 3 months premature. While medical bills mounted and fears over the health of their child consumed them, they still managed to forge a path forward that allowed the rest of the Chumber family to establish roots in the US, proving that unity and the family bond can help to overcome any challenge in life. Ram and Bimla went on to have two more children, Jeshi and Manjeet. In time, Ram and Bimla welcomed 8 grandchildren to the world. Ram’s grandchildren were his pride and joy - he loved taking them by the hand and spoiling them like any good “Baba” or “Nana” would do. Meanwhile, with Ram’s support, his siblings were able to establish themselves in their new country and start their own families. With his siblings, he helped build the foundation for a tremendous sense of bond of unity and community that lasts to this day and has been instilled into the next generation. Later in life, Ram would joyfully tell his loved ones of how triumphant he felt about the successes of his entire Chumber tribe that he helped springboard to new heights in the United States.
Ram was a simple man, who firmly believed in doing the right thing and uplifting his community around him. He quickly earned a reputation for being one of the most dependable and trusted members of the Punjabi-Fijian community in the SF Bay Area, proven by his work to help found the Pittsburg Gurdwara. Ram benefitted from the tough love of his elders who never gave up on him and influenced him to become the legend that we all know and love. Forever our Tui.
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